The Flying Boat Forum from www.seawings.co.uk

Welcome to the first ever Forum dedicated to the history and operations of the world's Flying Boats and their crews brought to you by SEAWINGS. Enjoy your stay and come back often! You are more than welcome to contribute, however small or large. Enjoy!

What would YOU like to see on the SEAWINGS website?
The SEAWINGS flying boat archive, from which the main site up-dates are sourced, is vast and not everything can be up-loaded at once. So, if you are looking for any particular information, SEAWINGS may just have it in the archive and can up-load it during the next suitable up-date.

W.I.G.'s (Wing-In-Ground-effect) Craft
Ekranoplans - the Lun Class, the A-90 Orlyonok, the 'Caspian Sea Monster', the civilian classes - indeed anything that can be naturally classed as a W.I.G. can be discussed here.

Flying Boat Fixtures and Fittings
Information requests on flying boat fixtures and fittings such as anything internally, radio's, galleys and anchors or Yagi Aerials and Radar fitted externally - anything that is not specifically a weapon as such. This is the place to post photos, plans and documents to form an historical archive.

Flying Boat Beaching Gear
Any details such as plans, drawings, photos - indeed any information would be very welcome here. This is the place to post photos, plans and documents to form an historical archive.

Biographies
This section is for discussions on biographies relating to persons associated with flying boats. Original manuscripts, stories from surviving flight and ground crew, good books, in-fact anything about the people behind the craft.

Marine Craft used around Flying Boats
There are a host of marine craft, both military and civilian, that have been designed or converted to serve the needs of flying boats; tenders, refuellers, cargo craft to name a few. Here is the place to post photo's, plans & drawings, in-fact anything appertaining to these craft.

Short Bros. Reference Archive
This is the place to seek - or to post information about - the history of Short Bros, their staff and personnel from any era, or location. Use it to seek out contacts or to record and describe their (or your) exploits for posterity and particularly any factory or works photographs you may find to post.

Radio-Control Flying Boat Models
This is the place to discuss and ultimately show-off all aspects of constructing and actually flying your radio-control flying boat models. Pictures of construction, materials used, finishing and action shots of them flying, are very welcome.

Radio Control Model Clubs flying off of water around the World
This is the place for R/C Flying Clubs who specialise in flying water-bourne flying boats & seaplanes from lakes, ponds, rivers and even the sea, to advertise their presence to the Forum readers who might want to join them from their very own special page. Read the 'Sticky' within to see how to obtain your Club page.

Card & Paper Models
This sub-forum is for the dedicated card modellers: those that build scale models entirely from kits manufactured from printed sheets of cardboard - which are then cut out with knives and scissors and glued together. The results can be spectacular.

Solid Wood Carved Models
This sub-forum is for the dedicated solid wood modelers: this is the traditional 'older' method that existed prior to the plastic kit genre. Solid wood carving methods date back to World War One and in the hands of a skilled craftsman a superb model can result. It is the ultimate scratchbuild.

Flying Boat Bases - New and Old
Any photos, plans, drawings, directions, helpful hints on visting places where flying boats have been operated from historically, or are being operated from today. I am always interested in receiving 'Then & Now' type photographs to assist current day visitors to these place. I'm trying to record the best places to visit before they disappear for ever.

Flying Boat crews - Contacts and Requests
This is the place to seek - or to post information about - Flying Boat Squadron crew personnel, Civilian crew personnel or Ground personnel, from any era. Use it to seek out contacts or to record and describe their (or your) exploits for posterity and any crew photographs you may find to post.

Under Water - Sunk
Use this sub-forum to post stories, images and anything else connected to, or explaining, flying boat wrecks under the sea. Especially welcome are images from those who dive upon wrecks around the world in a world most of us can never reach.

The place to have a general chat and share stuff..........
This is the place to ask for ideas such as finding a flying boat themed bar or club, share good places to find flying boat memorabilia, rate flying boat-related museums/movies/sims, and otherwise talk, well...... flying boats!! Obviously politics, swearing, rants, and trolling are right out. Anyone breaking this simple rule will be warned, then banned if repeated. Now, enjoy..!!

Float Planes and Seaplanes ONLY - General Discussion
Use this section for Floatplane & Seaplane general discussion where it does not fit into the catagories below ONLY. You may post pictures, plans and requests for information on any type, past or present, here.

Float Planes and Seaplanes ONLY - WWII
Use this section for Floatplane & Seaplane discussion for the period and era shown ONLY. You may post pictures, plans and requests for information on any type, past or present, here.

Flying Boat Restorations and Re-Builds
If YOU are restoring an existing flying boat, we would be pleased to see images and details of the progress you are making and to hear what it is like to undertake a job of this nature and complexity.

Flying Boat & Seaplane Owners Log - Show off YOUR flying boat here
This is the place to showcase YOUR pride and joy! You will know that 99.9% of us flying boat & seaplane enthusiasts will never get the chance to actually own the 'real thing', so that places you in a very enviable position ! Share with us the photo's and details of YOUR craft so that we can all enjoy it!

Flying Boat & Seaplane Commercial Operators
If YOU run a business that includes the use of flying boats and seaplanes, whether it's for tourisim or commercial gain, please let us share the photo's and details of your craft here.

Mailed Envelopes
This section is for images of mailed envelopes that were flown on a particular flying boat along a route. Often eBay and the like have actual examples of mailed envelopes that were actually flown on flying boats for sale and they all have a story to tell. Tell us yours........